Holm set as underdog in UFC 208 clash with de Randamie

UFC 208 on Saturday night will be the promotion’s first pay-per-view event in over two months. Seeking to put an end to his title drought, he will take on in-form American fighter Derek Brunson, who stitched a five-match winning streak, which was brought to an end a year ago, in the co-main event. At Friday’s weigh-ins, the former UFC women’s bantamweight queen came in right on the money for the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight crown; Holm weighed 144.4 pounds.

Then, in a packed stadium in Melbourne in November 2015, along came Holly Holm to change the pop idol narrative. “So, she’s very determined to get back on the winning streak”. “The guy might have slowed down a little bit but I think he’s still faster than 95% of the middleweights”. Holm’s attempt to rebound didn’t go her way as she was outpointed by Valentina Shevchenko. De Randamie could make history by becoming the first Dutch UFC champion.

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza is debatably the best 185lb fighter in the world, but he’s taking on the significantly lower-ranked Tim Boetsch on Saturday because nobody else in the middleweight division would step up to the plate and fight him. She gets the significance of the bout and, especially of a win.

Anderson is the current Invicta FC interim featherweight champion and one tough woman of mixed martial artistry. She was a multiple time, multiple weight boxing world champion, and since crossing over to MMA she has looked equally as impressive.

“You’re going to get more and more [women in the UFC] who are going to be better and girls who are starting from a young age”, the 35-year-old Holm said. Therefore, a couple of bets at longer odds I will be on are Holm in round four at 25/1 and round five at 28/1. Many fans had wanted this so that Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino would get a chance for UFC gold.

There is, of course, the prickly mess Cyborg finds herself in with the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which is contracted by the UFC to administer doping control standards and tests.

Holm, who says she hopes to return to 135 pounds to recapture that title regardless of the new division’s future, believes there’s plenty of fighters to sustain both weight classes.

Cris “Cyborg” Justino (red gloves) lands a punch to the face of Leslie Smith (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Arena Atletico Paranaense. She must be willing to absorb damage in the early going in order to establish her own rhythm, score points, command the center of the Octagon and allow her technique to take over the fight. But those plans went array when Cyborg failed a USADA random drug test in December of a year ago.

This may seem quite simple, but all De Randamie has to do is avoid getting taken down by Holm and not overcommit on any punches or kicks.

Her return last December was a media circus but once in the Octagon it was clear she was no longer the fighter that had lit up arenas and turned her into a global superstar.

Since being knocked out by Nunes, she has recorded victories over Larissa Pacheco and Anna Elmose, and her frame should benefit from the extra 10lbs available.